A/S WELCH TALKS REGIONAL ISSUES WITH JORDAN'S

C O N F I D E N T I A L AMMAN 002540 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/12/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV JO SUBJECT: A/S WELCH TALKS REGIONAL ISSUES WITH JORDAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER Classified By: AMBASSADOR DAVID HALE FOR REASONS 1.4 (b and d). ¶1. (C) SUMMARY. Assistant Secretary Welch met with Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdelelah Al-Khatib April 3, on the coattails of the Quartet envoys meeting in Amman. Centcom J-5 Director Rear Admiral Robert Moeller and the Ambassador joined the discussions. The meeting focused on continuing assistance to the Palestinians and support for Abu Mazen, with Khatib stressing the importance of both. The FM shared concerns over U.S. engagement with Iran over Iraq and Afghanistan, and confessed a lack of confidence in Iraq's Interior Ministry. END SUMMARY. -------------- PALESTINIAN AID AND PALESTINIAN POLITICS -------------- ¶2. (C) A/S Welch explained the U.S. plan to continue supporting Palestinians. He said that there was currently $600 million in the pipelines for Palestinian aid, but that those funds would be partially frozen. Another portion of the funds would be redirected to humanitarian aid efforts, including an increase in funding to UNRWA. Khatib warned against funding UNRWA services to non-refugees. He did not want to see any drop in services to refugees or a change in UNRWA's mandate. He also offered that Jordan might be able to help move equipment and food aid. A/S Welch said that the increased funding to UNRWA would not result in cuts in services to refugees. ¶3. (C) A/S Welch shared the Quartet's assessment that Hamas did not taint the entirety of the Palestinian Authority with a terrorist organization designation. He said that the Quartet will maintain contact with Abu Mazen, the PA presidency, and all PA organizations that fall under the umbrella of the presidency. However, there will be no contact with the Hamas government, from janitor to minister. A/S Welch encouraged Khatib to back the Abu Mazen's attempts to bring Palestinian border controls under his authority. ¶4. (C) Responding to Khatib's plea for tangible U.S. support for Abu Mazen, A/S Welch said the U.S. is "supportive politically and non-judgmental practically." A/S Welch confided that the international community is concerned Abu Mazen's promises will be unfulfilled. He told Khatib that Abu Mazen could earn confidence by cleaning up Fatah. Khatib said that, in the short term at least, this would be difficult to accomplish. Fatah was still reeling from defeat, and any shake up now would only fracture the already strained movement. Khatib did say, however, that Fatah will need to be well organized once it "retakes power" from Hamas. Abu Mazen was undermined, according to Khatib, by Hamas, by Fatah, by the international community, and most importantly by Israel. A public directive for him to clean up Fatah would only further undermine him. -------------- IRAQ -------------- ¶5. (C) A/S Welch told Khatib that formation of the Iraqi government was critical. It must project national unity, he said. The U.S. - contrary to popular opinion - is not issuing specific personnel directives for the formation of Iraq's government. Khatib commented "the names being floated about are not very encouraging." ¶6. (C) Khatib also spoke to the issue of Palestinian refugees on the Iraq/Jordan border. He expressed considerable dismay with the Iraqi Interior Ministry, especially with the lack of cooperation from the Iraqi General in charge of the Karama border, General Rideh al Shamri. He said that Jordan has a process to admit Palestinian refugees, on a case-by-case basis. The 89 refugees that showed up on the border March 19 put considerable public pressure on Jordan, and could open the floodgates to some 700,000 refugees from Iraq if not handled properly. The pressure to accommodate these refugees - Iraqi residents, he added - should shift to Iraq's Interior Ministry. -------------- IRAN -------------- ¶7. (C) A/S Welch confirmed to Khatib that the USG authorized Embassies Kabul and Baghdad to be available for official discussions with the Iranian government on issues pertaining to the situations in Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively. The Iranians in Afghanistan accepted the proposal immediately. So far, no meetings in Iraq have occurred, though Tehran had recently referred to the matter in public. A/S Welch said that there was considerable concern in Washington over Iran's meddling in Iraq. Armed with the evidence, the U.S. would be direct with the Iranians whenever the meetings take place. Khatib confessed to A/S Welch that there is "unease" in the region over the U.S. engaging Iran. According to Khatib, there is skepticism that the U.S. will be able to keep Iran on topic and prevent the Iranian government from leveraging the meetings to its favor. HALE